Countdown · Weather · Plan Mode
A Countdowns (Apalon) alternative
without ads, trackers, or accounts.
Countdowns by Apalon is the household-name iPhone countdown app — and it's also, on the free tier, full of banner ads, interstitials, and third-party tracking SDKs. Soon. ships the same core utility (countdowns with photo backgrounds, widgets, themes) and adds event-type checklists, destination weather, and StandBy widgets — with zero ads on any tier and no account required.
How does Soon. compare to Countdowns by Apalon?
Both apps count down. The real differences are what each one ships in the binary — and what the binary ships back to advertisers.
Ads & tracking SDKs
Soon.: Zero ads on any tier. No advertising SDKs. No analytics SDKs. No third-party trackers.
Countdowns (Apalon): Banner ads + interstitial ads on the free tier. Standard advertising and analytics SDKs are typical for the publisher.
Countdowns (Apalon): Banner ads + interstitial ads on the free tier. Standard advertising and analytics SDKs are typical for the publisher.
Account requirement
Soon.: No account, ever. Events live on your iPhone.
Countdowns (Apalon): Optional account for cross-device sync.
Countdowns (Apalon): Optional account for cross-device sync.
Event-type planning (Plan Mode)
Soon.: Built-in templates for Trip, Wedding, Birthday, Pregnancy, Graduation, Move — each task scheduled backward from the event date.
Countdowns (Apalon): Generic countdown events; no event-type checklist templates.
Countdowns (Apalon): Generic countdown events; no event-type checklist templates.
Destination weather
Soon.: Apple WeatherKit forecast at the destination (Premium) — coarse location only.
Countdowns (Apalon): No weather integration.
Countdowns (Apalon): No weather integration.
Widgets
Soon.: Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy in every iOS size.
Countdowns (Apalon): Home Screen + Lock Screen widgets; StandBy not advertised.
Countdowns (Apalon): Home Screen + Lock Screen widgets; StandBy not advertised.
One-time purchase
Soon.: €39.99 lifetime option in addition to monthly / yearly.
Countdowns (Apalon): Subscription-only Premium typical for the publisher.
Countdowns (Apalon): Subscription-only Premium typical for the publisher.
Who should pick Soon. vs Countdowns by Apalon?
Pick Soon. if…
- You refuse ads inside utility apps you open every day
- You don't want analytics or advertising SDKs in a countdown app's binary
- You want event-type planning, destination weather, and StandBy widgets
- You prefer one-time purchase to forever subscriptions
- You want a privacy story that's verifiable on Apple's App Privacy nutrition label
Stick with Countdowns (Apalon) if…
- You're already deep into Countdowns' theme library and don't want to migrate
- You need explicit account-based cross-device sync now
- You're fine with ads on the free tier as a trade-off
About Soon.
Questions
FAQ
What is the best Countdowns (Apalon) alternative for iPhone without ads?
Soon. is the most direct privacy-first alternative to Countdowns by Apalon. Both turn dates into countdowns; Soon. ships zero ads on any tier, has no third-party tracking SDKs, requires no account, and adds event-type Plan Mode checklists, Apple WeatherKit destination forecasts, and StandBy widgets that the Apalon app does not offer.
Why is Countdowns by Apalon ad-supported?
Apalon is a large mobile-app publisher whose business model on most consumer apps relies on a combination of ad inventory and subscription unlocks. That is a legitimate business choice — but it means the free tier of Countdowns includes banner and interstitial ads, and the app loads third-party advertising and analytics SDKs. Soon. is built by a one-person studio with no advertising or analytics SDKs in the binary at all.
Does Soon. have widgets like Countdowns by Apalon?
Yes — and more. Soon. supports Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy widgets in every iOS size: small, medium, large, ring, minimal, and timeline. Countdowns by Apalon ships Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets; StandBy support is not advertised on its current App Store listing.
How much does Soon. cost compared to Countdowns?
Soon. is free forever with 5 events, one widget, three themes, calendar import, memories, and reflection mode — no ads. Premium is €2.99/month, €19.99/year, or €39.99 once for lifetime access with a 7-day free trial. Countdowns by Apalon is free with ads, with a Premium subscription that removes ads and unlocks additional features.
Does Soon. count down to multiple events like Countdowns?
Yes. The free tier supports 5 simultaneous events; Premium is unlimited. Each event can have its own photo background, location, Plan Mode checklist, daily note, and widget assignment. There is no soft limit imposed by ads or upsell screens between events.
Try it
Open Soon.
Same job. No ads, no account, no trackers.